Festival Time!

That's right, festival time will soon be upon us once more and every music mag, paper and weekend supplement will be swaped with the obligatory photos of pretty girls with nice long, blonde hair perched on someone's shoulders waving their arms around (see above).And, if you're anything like me, this sight will fill you with a profound feeling of 'meh'.

Why? Well, have you seen the line up for this year's Glastonbury? Jeeeeezus! U2, Beyonce, Coldplay, Paul Simon, Biffy Clyro, Plan B, Tinie Tempah. Mumford & fucking Sons. Don McLean. Don McLean? Yeah, yeah, I know: Glastonbury's all about the 'experience'. An experience you could easily recreate by sitting in your back garden getting stoned and drinking cider without having to pay through the nose for it and ending up surrounded by crusty-haired twunts in juggler hats. The point is, it's a music festival - it's supposed to be about the music. And the music on offer this year is appallingly safe and middle-of-the-road. Reading and Leeds is marginally better, despite offering almost an entire day of shite emo kiddie punk. And again, in these cash-strapped times, who really wants to part with the best part of £200 for that?

So, with that in mind, if you wanna have the festival 'experience' this year, why not search out some of the less well known festivals where you're not likely to find yourself sitting through a set by Don McLean or 30 Seconds to Mars in the baking heat/squalling rain? Here's a few to check out:

Liverpool Sound City runs from May 19 to 21 as its bill includes Wave Machines, Fucked Up, The View and Clinic. See, that sounds better already, right? The festival's is held at multiple venues and spaces in Liverpool's cultural quarter, while the Hard Days Night Hotel plays host to a musical industry conference. Each night there will be bands, DJs and artists performing at many venues, spaces and clubs throughout the city. There will be dozens of parties and gigs, including an unsigned festival featuring new acts coming into Liverpool from all over the world, and parties hosted by festivals and labels each showcasing some of their biggest names and rising stars. Make sure you check out Kurt Vile & the Violators, Three Trapped Tigers, Yuck, Black Lips, Chain & the Gang and Those Dancing Days.

Friends of Mine, held at breathtaking Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire, runs from May 20 to 22 with a fantastic line-up featuring The Cribs, The Falls, Buzzcocks, Toro Y Moi, Yuck (again), Dutch Uncles, David McAlmont and Factory Floor. Former Smiths sticksman Mike Joyce reckons it's the best festival line-up here's ever seen and who are you to argue?

For another fine time in the countryside, make your way to Apple Tarts at Brogdale Farm, Faversham, Kent, on May 28. Organised by the folk behind East London night Suburban Tarts, this festival promises to be "be the best 24 hours of summer". The line-up includes scuzz n' rollers Swampmeat, East London party staples Sex Beet and the genre-bending Lazarus and the Plane Crash. It's followed by clubnight The Big Apple. Revellers can also enjoy burlesque, a sports day, games, market stalls, local food and Granny Smiths Tea Rooms.

If you fancy something further afield, why not try Berlin Festival, running from September 9 to 10? The German capital is an awesome place to visit at any time of the year, but this way you get to combine sight-seeing with seeing the likes of Suede, Primal Scream, Beirut, Mogwai, Battles, The Drums, Hercules and Love Affair, Health, Wire, Santigold, Rainbow Arabia, Diplo and Yelle. This being Berlin, the festival spirit doesn't end when the bands stop playing. Berlin Music Week Clubnacht is running simultaneously, and Berlin Festival goers will gain free entry to over 30 clubs all over the city. That's two festivals for the price of one!